SA TEAM NAMED FOR COMMONWEALTH YOUTH GAMES

An eight-member national athletics team has been announced for the Commonwealth Youth Games in Apia, Samoa in September.
The squad includes sprinters Kyle Appel and Nicola de Bruyn, and discus thrower Werner Visser, who all bagged medals at the World Youth Championships in Cali last week, as well as relay medallists Taylon Bieldt and Renate van Tonder.
However, world youth javelin throw champion Paul Botha has been omitted from the squad, along with six other athletes who reached finals of their events in Cali.
“As per the norm, we have selected the best athletes to represent our country and fly the nation’s sports flag high,” said Team SA chef de mission Clifford Cobers.
“Apart from the sports activities, the fact that these games are being held in the remote nation of Samoa, offers our athletes the opportunity to visit a country not often visited by South Africans.
“I therefore urge the athletes to grab this opportunity and enjoy this unique experience.”
Team SA will be represented in six sports codes at the Commonwealth age group showpiece.
Aside from track and field, the country will compete in boxing, lawn bowls, rugby sevens, tennis and aquatics.
The athletics contingent contributed 10 of the nation’s 30 medals at the previous Games in Isle of Man in 2011, where Team SA finished third in the overall medals table.

South African athletics team for the Commonwealth Youth Games in Apia, Samoa (5-12 September, 2015):